‘The Billy Fury Story’ bursts onto the stage of the Millennium Forum

Halfway To Paradise - The Billy Fury Story - a spectacular two hour show telling the story of Billy Fury, legendary Rock’n’Roller, bursts onto the stage of the Millennium Forum next month.

The show features the original members of his band Fury’s Tornados and the golden voice of Colin Gold singing his many hits - Last Night Was Made for Love, Wondrous Place, Jealousy, Halfway To Paradise and many, many more.

The band toured extensively with Billy throughout the 70’s, until his untimely death in 1983. The show includes giant screen footage of the band live onstage with Billy.

Colin Gold’s portrayal of Billy brings his music to life once more.

Billy Fury was known as the British Elvis. Born as Ronald Wycherley in 1940, he remained an active songwriter until the 1980s.

Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death. An early British rock and roll (and film) star, he equalled the Beatles’ record of 24 hits in the 1960s, and spent 332 weeks on the UK chart, without a chart-topping single or album.

Music journalist Bruce Eder stated: “His mix of rough-hewn good looks and unassuming masculinity, coupled with an underlying vulnerability, all presented with a good voice and some serious musical talent, helped turn Fury into a major rock and roll star in short order”.

Others have suggested that Fury’s rapid rise to prominence was due to his “Elvis Presley-influenced hip swivelling and, at times, highly suggestive stage act.”

Fury concentrated less on rock and roll and more on mainstream ballads, such as “Halfway to Paradise” and “Jealousy” (which reached No. 3 and No. 2 respectively in the UK Singles Chart in 1961).

Fury confessed to the NME that “I wanted people to think of me simply as a singer – and not, more specifically, as a rock singer. I’m growing up, and I want to broaden my scope. I shall continue to sing rock songs, but at the same time my stage act is not going to be as wild in the future”.

Having had more UK hits, such as “It’s Only Make Believe” and “I Will” both in 1964, and “In Thoughts of You” (1965), Fury began a lengthy absence from the charts in 1967, and underwent surgery for heart problems in 1972 and 1976 which led to his abandoning touring. Despite spending many weeks on the charts, Fury never achieved a No1 single, but he remained popular even after his hits stopped.

He died in 1983.

The Billy Fury Story comes to the Millennium Forum on September 7. Book now http://www.millenniumforum.co.uk/

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